Welcome to Gaelic Escargot, where snail farming in Ireland was born

Gaelic Escargot - Home of snail farming in Ireland

Gaelic Escargot is Ireland’s first snail farm and the only Research and Development Centre for breeding free-range Irish snails for domestic and international markets. Gaelic Escargot is to assist all Irish snail farmers in procuring products, obtaining knowledge of breeding, incubating and rearing of snails and finally the sale of their produce. We provide full mentoring for existing snail farmers as well as to those aspiring individuals. We offer half day seminars, breeding stock and hard-to-come by materials for infrastructure. We also provide ongoing support step by step to ultimately ensure the success of each snail farmer. We aim to become the #1 leader in producing the best quality snails in the world. Our farm and Research and Development Centre is located in Garryhill, Co. Carlow.

Our Story

Gaelic Escargot was born from passion for food. This came to a head while visiting France, where we sampled French escargot. On returning to Ireland we discovered that fresh escargot was not available on the domestic market. After some discussion we decided to try breeding a sample batch just for our own consumption. Our initial stock was breed in our one bedroom apartment in Kilkenny a proved successful. In the meantime we developed a variety of escargot dishes and our friends, who thought we were mad at the time, were not slow in sampling our dishes and they were suitably impressed. Having completed extensive market research, we realised there is a large international shortage in supply and we decided to make a business out of this.

Product

We offer a innovate range of products and materials that are tailored to the Irish climate and conditions, which has been tried and tested over the last 3 years. This ensures the best results in breeding & rearing snails, which leads to an increased profit and lessens labour costs whilst saving time and resources.

Our products range includes:

• Certified Irish Breeding Stock (this ensures higher egg yield per snail).
Our breeders are 4th generation Irish snails. Proven in various studies is that snails from the same climate produce more eggs after each generation. This gives a significant advantage as they produce more babies. Also in the study it was found that they are more resistant to disease and less susceptible to parasites.
Our breeders are carefully selected by hand and supplied to you hibernated on December and January.

• Certified Irish Baby Snails (which are adapted to our weather conditions).
Our baby snails are 5th generation Irish snails, already adapted to the local climate which shortens the time needed to achieve full growth. They are bred with our 4th generation Irish snails, hence the added benefits.
Babies will be delivered by us in the shortest time to limit mortality during transit.

• Equipment & Materials (which will saves time and freight costs).

• Starter packs for your new snail farmers.

This includes Basic Package for a 3 tons Production,
Silver Package for 5 tons production and Golden Package for 10 tons production.

Training Sessions

Our biggest intellectual property is the knowledge we have gained over the past few years. Being the pioneers that we are, it wasn’t an easy task to start growing snails in Ireland; no one had done it before.

In the beginning we were sure that the recipe we followed was foolproof, but experience proved otherwise. It took us a long time to formulate and incorporate the best of various systems and techniques to suit the Irish weather conditions, then take note of what didn’t work.

As the Polish method works so well we tried to replicate it but found it unsuitable under Irish weather conditions. We then adopted Italian techniques followed by the French trick of the trade, which all failed. This cost us tremendously but finally we formulated a unique system suitable to the Irish climate. This system ensures maximum results with Breeding, Incubation and Fattening of snails.

Through this trial and error learning curve, we paid our dues and now we are ready to share it with the future snail farmers of Ireland. Our aim is to grow a successful and sustainable industry together and ensure that Ireland becomes the #1 supplier of quality snails on domestic and international markets.

We conduct seminars in Carlow for people interested in getting into the business from Monday to Saturday (by appointment only) and the cost is €250 per session. The fee includes an “Introduction to the Snail Farming in Ireland” and full farm tour.

Read More

“Introduction to Snail Farming in Ireland” is a start-up package which has been developed to provide future snail farmers with the initial knowledge and understanding of snail farming sector, breeding techniques, existing market & opportunities, infrastructure needed, set up cost, pitfalls and funding available.

Training Session Covers The Following Topics:

1. Snail Breeding Systems

• What snail breeding system do I use/recommend?
• Why do I use/recommend this system?
• What yield, in terms of tons per acre/hectare could be expected from this?
• What breed of snail would I recommend and why?
• What food would I recommend and why?
• Why is the system you recommend better than alternative systems?

2. The Business of Snail Farming

• How much investment money is required before commencing operations?
• What is the minimum size farm that is required to be viable?
• What profits could be expected from this size of farm?
• What would be the ideal size of farm and what profits could be expected from that?
• What are the biggest cost elements involved in snail farming and what is the best method of controlling these costs?
• What are the biggest risks involved in snail farming?
• What are the main reasons for failure?
• What are the main characteristics of all successful snail farms?

3. Markets

• What country have you had experience in selling snail products?
• What is the best marketing strategy to sell products in this/these markets?
• What is the best way to present the products in this market – live, frozen, and processed?
• Are there any opportunities for new products?
• Non food market opportunities that might exist for snail products

4. Grants and Support

• Explaining financial grants and supports available and which programs to enroll with the option of receiving funding

Awards

Gaelic Escargot has been the receiver of some prestigious awards. Here are some to name a few.

Privacy Policy

This privacy policy sets out how Gaelic Escargot uses and protects any information that you give Gaelic Escargot when you use this website.

Gaelic Escargot is committed to ensuring that your privacy is protected. Should we ask you to provide certain information by which you can be identified when using this website, then you can be assured that it will only be used in accordance with this privacy statement.

Gaelic Escargot may change this policy from time to time by updating this page. You should check this page from time to time to ensure that you are happy with any changes. This policy is in effect from 2013.

What we collect

We may collect the following information:

name and job title

contact information including email address

demographic information such as postcode, preferences and interests

other information relevant to customer surveys and/or offers

What we do with the information we gather

We require this information to understand your needs and provide you with a better service, and in particular for the following reasons:

Internal record keeping.

We may use the information to improve our products and services.

We may periodically send promotional emails about new products, special offers or other information which we think you may find interesting using the email address which you have provided.

From time to time, we may also use your information to contact you for market research purposes. We may contact you by email, phone, fax or mail. We may use the information to customise the website according to your interests.

Security

We are committed to ensuring that your information is secure. In order to prevent unauthorised access or disclosure we have put in place suitable physical, electronic and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information we collect online.

How we use cookies

A cookie is a small file which asks permission to be placed on your computer’s hard drive. Once you agree, the file is added and the cookie helps analyse web traffic or lets you know when you visit a particular site. Cookies allow web applications to respond to you as an individual. The web application can tailor its operations to your needs, likes and dislikes by gathering and remembering information about your preferences.

We use traffic log cookies to identify which pages are being used. This helps us analyse data about web page traffic and improve our website in order to tailor it to customer needs. We only use this information for statistical analysis purposes and then the data is removed from the system.

Overall, cookies help us provide you with a better website, by enabling us to monitor which pages you find useful and which you do not. A cookie in no way gives us access to your computer or any information about you, other than the data you choose to share with us.

You can choose to accept or decline cookies. Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser setting to decline cookies if you prefer. This may prevent you from taking full advantage of the website.

Links to other websites

Our website may contain links to other websites of interest. However, once you have used these links to leave our site, you should note that we do not have any control over that other website. Therefore, we cannot be responsible for the protection and privacy of any information which you provide whilst visiting such sites and such sites are not governed by this privacy statement. You should exercise caution and look at the privacy statement applicable to the website in question.

Controlling your personal information

You may choose to restrict the collection or use of your personal information in the following ways:

whenever you are asked to fill in a form on the website, look for the box that you can click to indicate that you do not want the information to be used by anybody for direct marketing purposes

if you have previously agreed to us using your personal information for direct marketing purposes, you may change your mind at any time by writing to or emailing us at gaelicescargot@gmail.ie.

We will not sell, distribute or lease your personal information to third parties unless we have your permission or are required by law to do so. We may use your personal information to send you promotional information about third parties which we think you may find interesting if you tell us that you wish this to happen.

You may request details of personal information which we hold about you under the Data Protection Act 1998. A small fee will be payable. If you would like a copy of the information held on you please contact Gaelic Escargot through our website.

If you believe that any information we are holding on you is incorrect or incomplete, please write to or email us as soon as possible, at the above address. We will promptly correct any information found to be incorrect.

Terms & Conditions

Access to this web site is conditional upon your acceptance of and compliance with the terms, conditions, notices and disclaimers contained in this document (known as “Terms and Conditions”). Your use of, and/or access to, the site constitutes your agreement to the Terms and Conditions.

Gaelic Escargot reserves the right to amend the Terms and Conditions at any time. Since you are bound by these Terms and Conditions, you should periodically refer to them in this document and elsewhere on the site.

You must not modify, copy, reproduce, republish, frame, upload to a third party, post, transmit or distribute this Content in any way except as expressly provided for on the Site or expressly authorised in writing by Gaelic Escargot. Strictly on the condition that you keep all Content intact and in the same form as presented on the Site (including without limitation all copyright, trade mark and other proprietary notices and all advertisements), you may:

using an industry-standard Web browser, download and view the Content for your personal, non-commercial use, or

if you are an Internet service and/or access provider, supply the Content to your subscriber.

You must not use the Site in any manner or for any purpose which is unlawful or in any manner which violates any right of Gaelic Escargot or which is prohibited by the Terms of Use.

Trade Marks of Gaelic Escargot

All trade marks displayed on the Site are trademarks of Gaelic Escargot or their respective owners. Nothing contained on the Site should be construed as granting any license or right of use of any trademark displayed on the Site without the express written permission of Gaelic Escargot or third party owner.

Links

The Site contains hyperlinks and other pointers to Internet web sites operated by third parties. These linked web sites are not under the control of Gaelic Escargot, and Gaelic Escargot is not responsible for the contents of any linked web site or any hyperlink contained in a linked web site. Gaelic Escargot provides these hyperlinks to you as a convenience only, and the inclusion of any link does not imply any endorsement of the linked web site by Gaelic Escargot.

Limitation of liability

Under no circumstances (including but not limited to any act or omission on the part of Gaelic Escargot) will Gaelic Escargot be liable for any indirect, incidental, special and/or consequential damages or loss of profits whatsoever which result from any use or access of, or any inability to use or access, the Site or any Content. You expressly acknowledge and agree that Gaelic Escargot does not exert control over users of the Site (including individuals referred to on the Site as guests and experts) and is not liable either for their opinions or their behaviour including any information and/or advice and any defamatory statements or offensive conduct.

Web Site Availability

We will make all reasonable effort to ensure that the Site is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. However, electronic services are subject to interruption or breakdown. Therefore, access to our web site is offered on an “as is” and “as available” basis only.

Other

This agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Ireland. If any provision of this agreement is found to be invalid or unenforceable by a court of law, such invalidity or unenforceability will not affect the remainder of the agreement, which will continue in full force and effect.

All rights not expressly granted herein are reserved.

Acceptance of Terms and Conditions

Your use of this web site indicates your agreement to be bound by the Terms and Conditions.